Reverie of Elements
by Ms Genova
Summary: Charismatic Johnny Storm meets his match in the most unlikely of places. Who could this enigmatic woman possibly be? Fic includes characters from the original comics but with a twist.
1. Chapter One

_AN: I made some small changes to this chapter to keep in current with the release of the second movie.__  
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* * *

**Chapter One**

The definition of fame is the condition of being very well known. Johnny Storm was about as famous as one could get. He was one of the superhuman members of the Fantastic Four and he was no humble Reed Richards about it. Johnny always had an eye for the spotlight as the spotlight had for him. With confidence to spare and an ego bigger than the state of Texas, Johnny was the self-interested hero you only read about in comic books.

On top of all that "superhero work" and after the earth altering encounter with Galactus and the Silver Surfer Johnny's sister, Susan Storm became Susan Richards, or Mrs. Fantastic as the media dubbed her. The wedding festivities were short lived since there was always crime to fight, disasters to divert, and people to save.

Over the last year since the disappearance of the Silver Surfer into space and Doctor Doom into the depths of the sea, New York and the world still couldn't get enough of the Fantastic Four. Although being the centre of attention had always been Johnny's thing, he began to withdraw from it more and more. His relationship with Frankie Raye seemed to be what he was looking for but before he knew where things were going, their relationship fell apart. The sudden split caused Johnny to reassess things in his life, and question his 'living in the now' attitude.

This day was Johnny's day off, although superheroes don't really have a "day off" per say, the Human Torch had claimed a well needed break from reality. The media had become accustomed to him using the front door and being out there for all to see, but this day he needed a different approach, one that didn't scream 'take my picture'. With a short exit and a wave to his sister, he snuck out of the Baxter Building and followed back streets for countless blocks to his destination.

After a quick check of the alley to make sure there weren't any onlookers, Johnny threw open the heavy door and took in the sweet aroma of engine oil and tire rubber. Yes, this was his heaven. In the centre of the almost bare shop was was his favourite toy.

Shutting the door behind him, Johnny approached the car with a genuine smile on his face. The 1973 Barracuda was almost exactly like when his father first gave it to him. The vibrant red-orange paint still bright as ever, interior flawless and wheels still shone brilliantly. It was his baby.

Ever since his mom died in a car accident when he was nine, Johnny had been mesmerized and obsessed with cars, more specifically the fast ones. When his father bought this car Johnny was sixteen, he treasured it as if the entire thing was gold and to Johnny, it was.

Sue had often teased that he cared more about hotrods than his won sister, but she just didn't understand the freedom it gave him. He loved the feeling of just peeling out onto an open road and driving for hours. Nothing could match that feeling to him. He had jumped out of planes, boarded the highest mountains, and surfed the biggest waves and yet nothing could compare.

With a content look in his eye, Johnny slipped into the driver's seat and turned on the ignition. The engine hummed smoothly as it always had. Perfect.

* * *

"One extra large root beer float." Johnny smiled at the old man behind the diner counter placed a tall glass in front of him.

"Just like when I was a kid." He reminisced while taking a satisfying first sip.

"And don't think I've forgotten that tab from when you were a kid either." Quipped back the old man.

"Now Norman, is that any way to treat a lifetime customer?"

"It is when he stops coming around for months at a time." Norman Wilkes had owned the small diner outside of the big city for over thirty years. Johnny's mother used to take him and Sue there every weekend before she died to give them a healthy break from the fast-paced city life. Later Sue convinced their father to make a monthly trip and once Johnny could drive he took the trip when he could find time between girls, parties and school.

The bells above the door rang as someone entered the diner.

Johnny had his full attention on the marvel of ice cream and soda in front of him to take any notice.

"Now what can I get ya, miss?" Asked Norman with a smile.

"I'm dying for anything that will numb the senses, but unfortunately it's barely two in the afternoon and anything of that sort shouldn't be served in a diner. How about the strongest coffee you've got?" Johnny turned to this intriguing new arrival with a raised eyebrow. Norman just smiled at the girl.

"How long have you been travelling?" He asked.

"Too long. So coffee's okay right?" The old man winked at her.

"I'll do you one better, missy." Ducking under the counter, Norman emerged with a tumbler and a bottle of Jack Daniels. The woman's eyes studied the bottle and smirked.

"My God man! You're a saint!" Settling herself on the stool she rested her elbows on the counter and held her head in her hands. "It's been a long trip, please make it a double."

"Whatever you say, missy."

This woman now had Johnny's attention. After pouring the harsh liquid down her throat she gratefully thanked Norman before he disappeared to check on the cook.

The mysterious woman took in the quaint little details of the diner and turned towards her gaping audience.

"Uhhh, Red? Is there something on my face or what?" Johnny snapped out of his stupor and looked at her with a bewildered expression.

"Hmm?"

"You were staring a little too hard for my liking, thank you. Looked more like gaping fish. Let me guess, you're gonna go: 'Don't I know you from somewhere?' Yeah, apparently I have one of those faces you know? Just get back to your little kiddie drink, Red."

Johnny hadn't even realized he was so captivated by the woman in front of him. Her long blonde hair was pulled back into one of those messy bun things that Sue always complained that she couldn't pull off. Her slightly tanned skin was painted with a few freckles and her bright green eyes looked at him questionably. She was right, for some reason Johnny could have sworn he had seen her somewhere before.

He faltered for a moment, something he never did, before putting on a suave smirk. Player Johnny was going to try and take control.

"Red? Well I didn't know we were on a pet name basis now. We haven't even kissed yet." Dumbest. Pickup line. Ever. Johnny probably would have smacked himself if Norman hadn't already appeared and beat him to it. He soon found a wrinkled finger pointed at him.

"That is no was to talk to a lady. Apologize." He couldn't hide his shock as some incoherent words escaped his lips.

"Sorry?" He said to the woman, who was now grinning at him. Norman disappeared back behind the swinging door.

"Now who's staring?" Johnny childishly threw back.

"You really are a piece of work, Red." She sat back and shook her head.

"Could you please explain this whole 'Red' thing? It is getting a bit annoying over here." She shrugged.

"I was just referring to that fine set of wheels out front. Am I correct when I assume it's yours?"

"What if it is?"

"Well obviously, it sure as hell isn't that old couple in the corner or that man over there reading the paper. What is it, a '72?"

"'73."

"Good year. Original?"

"All of it."

"280 horse?"

"320."

"Zero to sixty in what, seven seconds?"

"Five."

"Touché." Johnny was almost at a loss for words. It had been a long time that he engaged in anything remotely related to car talk.

"Well look at the time, I'm late for reality again. Nice chatting with you, Red. Norman, you are truly a saint." The old man waved from the kitchen as she left some money on the counter.

She was out the door before Johnny even knew what was happened.

"Well?" Norman asked, appearing behind him again.

"Well what?"

"Aren't you gonna ask that nice girl her name?"

Johnny shot off of his stool and through the door. Now with dark sunglasses on she stood leaning on her sleek, silver car.

"My name is Crys. You don't get my phone number or any other details for that matter, we haven't even kissed yet." She mocked with a mirthful tone. "I'm heading into the city for while, so I'll just scream for help and you'll come running, or flying right? Have fun saving the world, Red. Another time perhaps, but now isn't your ice cream melting?"

Giving him one last smirk and a quick wink, Crys slipped into her car a sped off in the direction of the city.


	2. Chapter Two

_AN: I've picked up this story again. Please note some small changes in the first chapter. Enjoy!_**  
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* * *

**Chapter Two**

Johnny couldn't get Crys out of his head. Still reeling from his lack of suave composure during their encounter he found himself distracted the following week. Reed, who had poor perceptive skills in the first place, remained oblivious when it took Johnny a little longer to process things than usual. Ben wasted no time in simply teasing him about his mistakes without reading further into them. However, his peculiar behaviour could not get past his older sister unnoticed. Sue kept a eye on her brother since the morning after the diner when Johnny ignored a long list of messages from adoring girls who he had taken out that month. She was even more suspicious of this new behaviour when he engaged her in a conversation that didn't involve poking fun at her new husband or Ben, but asking her if she was happy. Though it wasn't a big stretch from the ordinary, it was unusually deep for Johnny's regular breakfast talk.

Sue had suspected that something had happened, but decided not to pry and see how things played out for Johnny. She found that things didn't change much as the week wore on. Johnny continued to pay little attention to any invitations or messages sent his way and spent more and more time in the confines of the Baxter Building. She brought her questions about her brothers odd behaviour to Reed first.

"Johnny's been acting strange lately." She said bluntly, moving back and forth through a chair in the lab. Reed slid out from under the Fantastic Car and sat up.

"Really? How so?" The intuitive Reed Richards has done it again!

"Haven't you noticed he's been around more? No outlandish stories about wild parties and dates when he's basically been a prime fixture of the New York celebrity scene all up until to a week ago. Don't you find it odd at all?" She had forgotten how much Reed could separate himself from surrounding human activity.

"Are you sure you are talking about Johnny? That doesn't sound like him at all." He said, kissing his wife on the forehead. He was met with a cross look.

"That's my point. It doesn't make sense."

"Do you think he's sick or something? I could run some simple tests -"

"No, no... I don't think he needs tests. I just would like to know what could have happened." As Reed was about to respond, Ben entered the lab.

"Sue, there is something wrong with that brother of yours. I think he's taken one too many hits to the head. I just took a shot at him to knock him off his high horse and instead of throwing it right back at me, he said 'Nice one, Ben' and asked where the mustard was."

"Mustard?" Reed gave a confused look.

"He was making a sandwich. But since when does Hotrod not respond to barefaced insults?"

"See, Reed! I told you something's different."

"What's different?" Johnny had just walked into the middle of their conversation carrying a half eaten roasted beef sandwich.

"Johnny, we were just talk-" Sue began to explain when an alarm went off and filled the lab with it's piercing toll.

"What is it?" Ben asked, as the whole group rushed toward the large computer screens that displayed a scene of chaos.

"Back Bolt Tower was hit with a runaway semi truck hauling highly unstable substances that exploded and fire fighters are having problems putting out the blaze. They can't reach those trapped on the top floors."

"And what about the lower ones?"

"It says they were evacuated when the truck first hit, but I'm not sure if everyone got out Johnny-"

"FLAME ON!" Johnny shouted as he disappeared out the window in a ball of flames out into the city.

* * *

Johnny had been through the first ten floors of Black Bolt Tower that had been engulfed by the relentless flames and found them to be vacant of anyone left behind. It was a relief not to have found any casualties so it was time to join the rest of the team and get those who've crowded up in the topmost floors out to safety. Just as he was about to escape the chemical flames something, or someone caught his eye on the street.

Where the police were restraining the growing crowds that were forming around the area a disturbance had broken out between a blonde woman and two officers. Looking up, out of a broken window he saw that the rest of the Fantastic Four had the evacuation under control, he decided to go down to the street first.

"You can't do this to me! Do you know who I am?! I am a head executive in this building and I must get in there!"

"Lady, the building is still on fire. No one gets in there, till the fire crews say so." Firmly answered one of the officers. The woman gave the officers an angry looked and stomped off into the crowd.

"Is there a problem here officer?" Johnny asked, extinguishing the flames around him as he landed behind the two men.

"Not anymore Mr. Torch." Replied the taller of the two men.

"Execs always think they have the run of things." Said the other. "She seriously thought she could get back in there! The place is still is five floors of flame."

Johnny was no longer paying attention to the ramblings of the officers and was trying to scan the crowd for the perturbed blonde woman. He could have sworn he recognized her, even from all those floors up. Before he could begin to really look for Crys, the surrounding heat that was created by the burning building instantly disappeared and Johnny felt like all the oxygen had left his lungs. The onlookers and officials seemed to have shared the same breathless feeling and were left gasping.

"Johnny! Was that you?!" Sue yelled, as she descended to the ground on a barely visible platform surrounded by frightened people in suits and dresses.

Once she had everyone safely on the ground, Sue ran over to her younger brother and looked at him with wide eyes.

"What are you talking about, sis?" Sue spun him around and left him speechless.

All traces of flame were gone. The charred skeleton of the building stood there, not even smoking.

"Uh, that wasn't me."

* * *

"Torch, would you say you now have the power to extinguish flame as well as create it?"

"How long have you had this ability?"

"Do you think this will bring you in closer work with the New York fire department?"

"What other abilities have you not told the public about yet?"

A mob of reporters and cameras had the Fantastic Four surrounded on the steps of the charred Black Bolt Tower. Each member of the heroic team has a look of bewilderment and confusion on their faces.

Johnny didn't put out that fire.

"Uhhhh... I - I - I..." Johnny stumbled into the mic of a young news correspondent. "I have no comment."

"Excuse me?" asked the reporter.

"I have no comment." He repeated in a firm tone. The media frenzy quieted. Johnny Storm has something to say about everything and was never one to leave the press hanging.

Johnny's eyes drifted away from those in front of him as the mob began to shoot more questions at the Four. Ben stepped between his team and the cameras.

"Hey! HEY!" His rough voiced roared, gaining the attention of all those on the block. "You heard the kid. He has no comment no SCRAM!" Ben turned and headed to the Fantastic Car. Sue took Johnny by the arm and lead them after Ben who was clearing a path through the crowd.

"Mr. Fantastic, do you have anything to say?" Piped a reporter. Reed looked at all the eager, impatient faces and spoke.

"I don't," he paused." Until I am certain what extinguished the blaze on Black Bolt Tower there is nothing to say."

"So you're saying that the Human Torch had nothing to do with it?"

"No comment."

* * *

"Our top story tonight is the events surrounding the tumultuous blaze of Black Bolt Tower. The casualty count was six, including the driver of the runaway semitrailer. Injuries of those working in the building were extensive and varied, ranging from first degree burns to smoke inhalation. Only ten Black Bolt Corp. employees are in critical condition tonight. Many lives were saved and deaths prevented today by the NYFD and the Fantastic Four, whose heroic efforts evacuated the trapped occupants of the top most floors."

The entire team had gathered around the television. Reed and Ben stood looking from the doorway as Sue kept Johnny company on the sofa. The day was replaying in their minds over and over. The news woman began to speak again but the picture on the screen changed an a small picture of Johnny appeared in the corner of the screen.

"The Human Torch evaded reporters' questions today in regard to the mysterious and sudden extinguishing of the tower blaze."

Footage of Johnny on the street that afternoon began playing on the screen. He could clearly be seen on the loft in the crowd, while fire crews were battling the raging flames on the right. Within seconds all traces of flame disappeared and everyone on the black froze or doubled over gasping.

The newsroom reappeared.

"Was this mysterious event the work of the Torch, who's lack of words answer little questions, or is the Fantastic Four hiding something? Could there be a Fantastic Fifth somewhere among us? We will not know until the Four discloses more." The screen changed again to the video of Johnny's shaky words to reporters.

Sue turned off the television and the room was silent.

"It wasn't me." Johnny said quietly. "As much as I would like to take the credit, I didn't do anything."

Sue put a comforting hand on her brother's back. "It's okay Johnny. Reed, do you think you'll be able to find what caused this to happen?"

"I had the police forward me all the news footage recorded. I'll analyse it frame by frame to find something, but there is a big possibility that nothing will be there." Reed turned to Johnny. " Are you sure you had nothing to do with it? We've yet to discover the true potential and limits of our powers and you never kn- "

"No. None of that was me." Johnny interrupted.

"All right. I'll get started on that video. Ben, I could use an extra set of eyes."

"Right behind you, Stretch." The two left the room and headed to the lab.

Sue had no words of comfort or reassurance for her brother. The situation was so bizarre. She deeply hoped that Reed would find something.

"I need some air." Johnny said, rising from the sofa. His sister nodded and watched him walk out with a concerned look on her face. What ever had been bothering him before, this was definitely something that he didn't need.

* * *

Johnny pulled the dark dark hood of his sweater over his head and exited the Baxter Building from the service entrance. He didn't want a mob of media attack and surround him again. At this point when wanting to be alone, he would usually head off to the garage and take his barracuda out to the country but something compelled him to change course to Central Park.

He ended up on a vacant little bridge over a small pond. The sun had almost completely set and the sounds of the surrounding city filled the quiet park.

Johnny didn't know how long he stood there, leaning on the rail of the bridge looking into the trees, but he was eventually joined by another. He didn't care to look at them, so he would not give away his identity.

The person began to speak.

"Hell of a day, don't you think? Especially for you, Red."

It was her.


End file.
